Retractable cable assemblies and devices including the same

ABSTRACT

In a retractable case assembly, e.g. for an earphone, a flexible circuit board (FCB) element, preferably having a coiled portion, is used to provide a fixed, good quality, electrical connection between a retractable cable and circuitry that may be mounted on a land portion of the FCB. The circuitry may include a socket for connection to the input/output of a device with which the earphone is to be used, e.g. a mobile phone, portable computing device or personal sound system. The cable may be wound about a take-up reel, and the FCB coil may be wound in the opporite direction within the reel, so that as the cable is extended or retracted, the FCB coil expands or contracts. The reel may be biased to retract the cable by a spring. A microswitch may signal when the cable is extended.

This is a Continuation of Application No. PCT/AU02/01347 filed Oct. 4,2002. The entire disclosure of the prior application is herebyincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

The present invention relates to retractable cable assemblies and todevices including such cables. It relates particularly, though notexclusively, to headsets and the like for personal electronic devices,such as for personal stereos, mobile telephones and portable computingdevices.

Many electronic devices, such as mobile telephones and personal stereosystems, include headsets, such as earpieces, in order to allow a userto listen to the device in a hands-free and private manner.

These headsets generally include a length of cable for connection to thedevice, but rarely include any management of the cable. Accordingly,when the cable is unused, it must be wound around the device orotherwise manually wound and stored. This is inconvenient, and candamage the cable.

A retractable cable arrangement is known in which the cable is woundabout a spring-biased reel. The cable can be pulled off of the reel toextend the cable for use, and, when released, is automatically woundback onto the reel under the spring bias.

In this arrangement, the electrical connection between the wires of thecable and the output circuitry of the device is provided by a set ofconcentric circular tracks that are mounted opposite a face of the cablereel. These circular tracks connect with the output circuitry of thedevice, and the ends of the cable wires contact these tracks throughbrush elements. Thus, as the reel is wound, the brushes move about thecircular tracks and maintain electrical connection to the device.

Such an arrangement is not ideal, as the track and brush connections canbe complex and are often not particularly reliable. They can alsoproduce poor contact, resulting in poor sound quality.

The present invention has been devised with a view to addressing suchproblems.

Viewed from a first aspect, the present invention provides a retractablecable assembly, in which the cable is connected to a flexible circuitboard element. It can also be seen as providing a retractable cableassembly, in which the cable is connected to associated circuitrythrough a flexible circuit board element.

The use of a flexible circuit board (FCB) element (also known as aflexible PCB, Flex PCB, or a FPC), which may be in the form of a lengthof FCB, is able to provide a simple yet effective connection between theretractable cable and associated circuitry and the like. For example, itcould provide a connection between an earphone or other transducer onthe cable and connection circuitry for connecting theearphone/transducer to an input and/or output socket of a device, suchas a personal stereo, mobile telephone or the like, or it could providea connection from the earphone/transducer directly to the input and/oroutput circuitry of a device.

Further, the flexible nature of the FCB element allows the connectionbetween the circuitry and cable to be fixed, without need for brushes orthe like, and so the quality of the connection can be high. This meansthat e.g. high quality sound can be provided. The use of circular tracksand brushes, as in the prior art, introduces contact or wiping noiseinto the signal carried by the cable, and this noise becomes moreprevalent over time as the contacts age and wear. The present inventionis able to overcome this problem by removing the need for such tracks.It is able to provide a fixed connection that is able to flex toaccommodate movement of the cable's connection end, as the cable isretracted or extended.

The FCB element may take any suitable form, and will generally have oneor more electrical tracks provided thereon for connection with one ormore wires of the retractable cable. It is preferably provided as acoiled strip of FCB, one end of which may be electrically connected withthe retractable cable. This allows the coil of FCB to wind and unwind asthe cable is used.

The FCB element may be connected to associated circuitry in any suitablemanner. In one preferred form, the FCB element includes both a length ofFCB and a land portion of FCB from which the length portion extends. Theland portion can then provide a means for connecting with suitablecircuitry.

The land portion may be provided with suitable connection circuitry, andmay have various components mounted thereon including for example inputcircuitry, output circuitry, a connector socket, amplifier circuitry,volume control circuitry, and the like. This provides an advantageousarrangement, with mechanically strong electrical connections.

In an especially preferred form, the assembly includes a take-up reelabout which the retractable cable is stored. Preferably, the FCB elementis mounted by the reel, e.g. within the reel, preferably in a cooedmanner. In this arrangement, as the take-up reel rotates during thewinding up or taking out of the cable, the coil may expand or contact toreduce stain on the connection between the FCB element and the cableand/or on the transition region between the strip and land portions ofthe FCB element.

The FCB coil may be wound within the take-up reel in an oppositedirection to the winding of the cable about the reel, so that when thecable is wound up, the coil is in a contracted condition, and when thecable is extended, the coil is in an expanded condition. It would,however, be possible to have the coil and cable wound in the samedirection.

The retractable cable may take any suitable form, and may comprise anysuitable standard cable on the market today. In a preferred form, thecable is of a flat configuration. The cable wires may be arrangedparallel to one another, and may themselves also be of a flat form. Sucharrangements provide for a particularly compact assembly, in which thespace needed to accommodate the wound cable is kept low. The cables mayfor example comprise plastic insulated copper multi-core conductors.

In one possible form, the cable may be an extension of the FCB elementitself, and, viewed from a further aspect, the present inventionprovides a retractable cable assembly in which the cable is provided atleast in part by a FCB element.

The FCB element may be made of any suitable materials, and e.g. maycomprise a polyamide substrate, (e.g. copper) conductive elements, andan insulative coverlay. This and other structures, such as usingpolyimide or polyester substrates, are well-known in the art. The FCBelement may be single-sided, double-sided or multilayered, and mayinclude stiffeners and the like as necessary, e.g. on the land portion.

The electrical connection between the FCB and cable may take anysuitable form. In one embodiment, the FCB element and cable areconnected to one another directly, e.g. by soldering the cableconductors to the FCB element.

In another form, the FCB element and cable are attached via intermediatemeans. For example, in the take-up reel arrangement, the cableconnection end of the FCB coil and the coil connection end of the cablecould connect to the take-up reel, and connection means could then beprovided in or on the take-up reel to connect wires from the cable withappropriate tracks of the FCB element. These connection means could takethe form of e.g. electrical tracks and/or plated through-holes on thereel, and/or mating connectors, e.g. subminiature connectors, or thelike on the FCB and cable ends.

The reel end of the retractable cable is preferably anchored, e.g. tothe real, at some point so as to reduce strain on the FCB cableconnection, e.g. when the cable is fully extended from the assembly.This may be achieved, e.g. by a suitable clamping means. In onepreferred form, anchoring, e.g. clamping to the reel, occurs at theconnection between the cable and FCB element. This helps to strengthenthe connection whilst providing strain relief and also holding the cableend of the FCB element in a fixed position on the take-up reel.

The cable may be retracted into the assembly in any suitable manner,which may be automatic or manual. For example, the take-up reel mayinclude means for it to be manually turned to wind in the cable, or mayinclude automatic means for doing this.

In one embodiment, the reel may be motorised, e.g. using a smallelectric motor/micromotor. In this embodiment, the motor may beactivated by a user pressing a retraction switch. Alternatively or also,the motor may be voice activated. This may be achieved using amicrophone of the assembly itself, or may be achieved by using amicrophone of the device with which the assembly is associated (e.g.that it is attached to or built into). For example, where the assemblyis mounted on or built within a mobile telephone, a voice command intothe microphone of the mobile phone may be used to activate a reel motorto retract the cable. Activation may be through e.g. a signal sent to anoutput socket of a device to which a stand-alone cable assembly mayconnect, or through a signal to an internal motor control of the device.

Further, a signal indicating any other suitable action or a status of anassociated device may be used to activate the sable retraction. Such anaction could be e.g. the powering down of the device, or the switchingto a stand-by mode or to another mode in which an extended cable is notrequired. The assembly may thus include a motor control for receiving aretraction signal and/or for monitoring the status of and/or actionscarried out by/on an associated device.

In one preferred embodiment, the reel is spring-biased to wind-up thecable. This spring bias may be achieved in any suitable manner, and e.g.could be through the use of a coded spring, which may for example bemounted parallel to or within the take-up reel.

The assembly may include latch means, so that when the cable isextended, is it not rewound until the latch mechanism is released, e.g.through the activation of a latch release button on the side of theassembly. The latch means may comprise a catch that engages with thecable reel by friction and/or in a ratchet fashion, e.g. engaging withthe take-up reel around its periphery or using other appropriate means.

The cable assembly may include a sensor/trigger means, e.g. amicroswitch, photocell or any other suitable means, which may beactivated when the cable is unwound and/or retracted so as to provide asignal of this and to allow any suitable corresponding action to occur.For example, in the case of a mobile telephone or portable computingdevice, the extension of the cable could switch the sound output of thetelephone or computer from a standard speaker of the telephone orcomputer to an earpiece output.

The trigger means may be mounted on a land portion of the FCB element.It may for example be triggered by the presence or absence of acomponent at the free end of the cable at the components storedposition, e.g. through contact of the trigger means with a stem portionof an earpiece when the earpiece is retracted. A signal from thesensor/trigger means may then be used by the electronics of thecircuitry and/or passed to electronics of an associated device in orderto effect a suitable response.

The retractable cable assembly may be integral with an electronic orother device, e.g. included in the device on manufacture thereof, or maybe provided as a stand-alone unit. In the latter case, the assembly mayinclude suitable connection means for physically connecting the assemblyto a device, and/or may include suitable electrical connection means forelectrically connecting to output circuitry/connection means of thedevice, e.g. for connecting to a jack socket, serial or parallel port orthe like.

The assembly may provide e.g. a headset or other component, e.g. atransducer component, at the free end of the retractable cable.Alternatively, the assembly may provide a connection/socket element atthe free end of the retractable cable, and e.g. a headset or othercomponent at the assembly housing. In either case, the headpiece orother component will be able to connect with an associated devicethrough a retractable cable.

The assembly may include two or more cables, e.g. a pair of retractablecables, e.g. parallel to one another so as to provide e.g. twice theextension capabilities and/or a choice of whether to extend a cableending in a socket and/or a cable ending in a component. The extra cableor cables may be attached to the same or separate FCB elements.

The cable may be used in any suitable application, and the assembly maybe used to provide a retractable cable for any suitable device/componentthat needs to extend from a base unit or from any other structure. Theassembly could thus be used with an earpiece, a microphone, or acombined earpiece and microphone, e.g. a telephone headset. It couldalso be used in a stereo system having extensible speakers.

Other uses would include personal sound systems, such as CD players, MP3players, minidiscs, tape recorders, radios, dictaphones or the like, andthe assembly could be used in many fields, such as the fields ofpersonal and portable sound, home and studio sound, architectural power,automotive products, domestic appliances, aviation, and personal andbusiness electronic devises. Thus, for example, car, motorcycle oraeroplane communications and/or entertainment systems could include theassembly, e.g. in a car or aeroplane seat.

Indeed, the invention may be used in any application where a cable orcables require coring for deployment or stowage, and need not be used totransmit sound signals, but could be used in any suitable application,e.g. for power supply or for computer data transfer or for use with agames console, e.g. to connect a control device, such as a mouse, gamingpaddle or joystick or the like.

It could further for example be used with an antenna, and theretractable cable could itself comprise an antenna, so that there is nodevice/component at e.g. the free end of the cable. In this case, it isthe cable itself that requires the extension.

The FCB element may be made in any suitable manner. For example, thecoiled portion of the FCB could be formed from the coiling of a straightcut length of FCB material. In one preferred embodiment, however, aspiral strip of FCB is cut from a flat sheet of FCB, and the strip isthen wound into a coil. Preferably, one end of the strip includes a landportion on which electronic componentry can be mounted, and the spiralportion of the FCB element is wound about an axis angled, e.g.perpendicular, to the plane of the land portion of the FCB element.

Preferably, the FCB element is formed from a flat sheet of FCB materialin which a strip of FCB material spirals about a central land portion.

The present invention extends to an electronic or other device includinga retractable cable assembly in accordance with any of theabove-discussed features. As said above, this device could be e.g. amobile phone, portable computing device or other personal electronicdevice, etc.

The present invention further extends to a FCB element having a coiledportion and a land portion, with the coiled portion preferably coilingabout an axis inclined to the plane of the land portion, preferablyperpendicular.

The present invention also extends to a method of making a FCB elementincluding the steps of cutting a spiral length of material from a sheetof FCB and coiling the spiral length. Preferably, the FCB includes aland portion, and the spiral portion is provided about the land portion.The invention also extends to a method of making a retractable cableassembly or device including such an assembly, including the step ofmaking the flexible circuit board element in accordance with theabove-mentioned method.

The present invention also extends to a retractable cable assembly inwhich the cable is an extension of a flexible circuit board element.

It further extends to a cable management assembly including a flexiblecircuit board element that connects an extendible cable with associatedelectronic componentry.

Still further, the present invention extends to a cable managementassembly including a retractable cable mounted on a take-up reel, and acoiled flexible circuit board element mounted within the take-up reeland electrically connected to the retractable cable so as to allow thecable to connect with associated electronic circuitry whilst alsoaccommodating movement of the reel end of the cable when the cable isretracted or extended.

The arrangement of a take-up reel having a retractable cable wound aboutit, and an electrical connection coiled within it, is in itself ofsignificance, and, although a FCB coil provides a particularlyadvantageous construction that is small, compact and rugged, it could bereplaced with any connection element that can be put into a coiledconfiguration. Indeed, the connection element could also provide aspring bias action to retract the cable.

Thus, the present invention further extends to a retractable cableassembly, the assembly including a reel element which has a retractablecable mounted about its outside and a coiled connection element mountedwithin the reel element and connected with the cable. It can also beseen as providing a retractable cable assembly the assembly including areel element that has a retractable cable mounted about its outside anda coiled connection element mounted within it, the coiled connectionelement connecting the retractable cable with associated circuitry.

In one form of this aspect, the connection means within the reel may bea part of the retractable cable, the cable being anchored, e.g. clamped,at or adjacent to the point where the cable enters the reel, so as toseparate the cable into two portions. The cable portion within the reelis preferably wound in the opposite direction to the cable portionoutside of the reel.

The motor-control and/or automatic activation of the assembly are alsoin themselves inventive features, and viewed from a further aspect, thepresent invention also provides a retractable cable assembly including aretractable cable, a take-up reel for mounting the cable, a motormechanism for rotating the reel, and motor control circuitry foractivating the motor to withdraw the cable on receipt of an activationsignal. Preferably, the assembly also includes a control for determiningwhen a predetermined action occurs in a device with which the assemblyis associated and for issuing the activation signal. The predeterminedaction may be for example one or more of a voice command, a power-downof the device, a change in status of the device to a status in which thecable is not required, or the activation of a switch of the device toindicate that retraction of the cable is desired.

The various above-mentioned aspects of the present invention may includeany of the other above-mentioned features and alternatives, and coverassemblies when in the form of stand alone units and/or when integratedinto a device.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to beunderstood that the particularity of the drawings does not supersede thegenerality of the preceding description of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a retractable earphone device inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1 with the top cover notshown;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view from above of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view from below of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a FCB sheet cut to provide a FCB element foruse in the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the FCB element of FIG. 5 with a strip portionthereof wound into a spiral configuration;

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the FCB element of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of a mobile telephone having the deviceof FIG. 1 connected thereto, with the device top cover removed.

Referring to FIG. 1, a retractable cable assembly 1 comprises a housing2 having a cover 3 thereon, within which is mounted a retractable flatcable 4 having an earpiece 5 mounted at its free end. The assembly 1also includes a connection socket 6 and a latch release button 7.

In use, a user connects the assembly 1 to a desired sound device, e.g. amobile telephone, personal stereo device, portable computing device(e.g. a laptop computer or PDA), or the like, via the socket 6. This maybe through for example a fixed cable link. The user then extends thecable 4 from the housing 2 to listen to the sound output from thedevice. Once finished, the user presses the latch release button 7,which allows the cable 4 to be wound up into the housing 2.

FIG. 2 shows the assembly 1 with the cover 3 not shown for clarity andwith the earpiece 5 fully retracted. As can be seen, the cable 4 iswound about a take-up reel 8.

A coiled spring 9 is mounted within the take-up reel 8 about a centralstem 10 (shown in FIG. 4) that extends from a cap 11 (shown in FIG. 3)mounted on the assembly cover 3. The spring 9 connects at one end withthe stem 10, and at the other end with the take-up reel 8 at aconnection point 12 comprising a moulded pin of the reel 8. The coiledspring 9 urges the take-up reel 8 to rotate in a clockwise direction asviewed in FIG. 2, in order to automatically retract the cable 4.

In order to prevent the automatic retraction of the cable 4 during use,a latch element 13 engages with the outer surface of the take-up reel 8,above the cable 4, in such a manner (e.g. through a ratchet mechanism,not shown) so as to prevent clockwise movement of the reel 8, but toallow anti-clockwise movement so that the cable 4 may be easilywithdrawn.

The latch element 13 is mounted within a guide channel 14 (see FIG. 4)of be assembly cover 3.

When it is desired to retract the cable 4, a user presses the releasebutton 7, which is part of the latch element 13, so as to disengage thelatch element 13 from the take-up reel 8 and allow the real 8 to rotateclockwise under the bias of the spring 9.

A microswitch 15 and other electronic componentry 16 associated with theassembly 1, such as input circuitry, output circuitry, amplificationcircuitry, volume control circuitry and the like, is mounted on the landportion 17 of a FCB element 18 (discussed further below). The socket 6is also mounted on the land portion 17.

The microswitch 15 is actuated by a stem portion 5 a of the earpiece,and provides a signal as to whether the earpiece 5 is within the housing2 or not.

On retraction of the cable 4, the earpiece stem 5 a is urged towards themicroswitch 15 by a sloping projection 19 on an inner wall of thehousing 2.

The signal from the microswitch 15 can be passed through the socket 6 tothe device to which the assembly 1 is attached so as to allow the deviceto take appropriate action, e.g. to switch its sound output form aspeaker of the device to the earpiece 5.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are exploded views of the assembly 1, viewed from aboveand below respectively. These show more dearly the various features ofthe assembly 1, and, especially, the FCB element 18.

The FCB element 18 is a one-piece unit that includes the flat landportion 17 and a portion 20 composing a coiled strip that extends fromthe end of the land portion 17 opposite to the socket 6.

The coiled strip 20 connects to the cable 4 at connection points 21 ofthe coil 20 and cable 4, and electrical tracks on the strip 20 connectwith individual wires within the cable 4, e.g. through soldering, toprovide an electrical connection between the earpiece 5 and the assemblysocket 6.

The coiled FCB strip 20 is mounted within the take-up reel 8, and isseparated from the coiled spring 9 by a wall portion 22.

The cable 4 is clamped against the take-up reel 8 by a clamping element23 that is inserted into a clamping slot 23 a in the reel 8. Theclamping element 23 prevents strain, caused by pulling the cable 4 outof the assembly 1, from transferring to the connection between the cable4 and the FCB strip 20, and to the transition area between the FCB strip20 and the land portion 17. It also holds the cable end of the coiledstrip 20 into fixed contact with the reel 8.

A bottom cover 24 is provided over the housing 2, and a stem portion 25of the housing 2 mounts the coil 20 thereabouts.

When the earpiece 5 is pulled from the assembly 1 for use, the cable 4is extended, and the take-up reel 8 rotates anti-clockwise (when viewedfrom the top) as the cable 4 is unwound. As this happens, the coiledstrip 20 of FCB (which is coiled clockwise) expands within the take-upreel 8 as the clamped connection point 21 between the strip 20 and cable4 rotates anti-clockwise with the reel 8.

When the earpiece 5 is no longer required, and the user has pressed thelatch release button 7, the take-up reel 8 rotates clockwise under thebias of the coiled spring 9 to wind up the cable 4. As this happens, thecoiled strip 20 of FCB contracts within the take-up reel 8, as theclamped connection point 21 between the strip 20 and cable 4 rotatesclockwise with the reel 8.

Thus, the use of the coiled strip 20 provides for a fixed connectionbetween the earpiece 5 and the socket 6, which can accommodate therotation of the cable 4 and its wires without the need for the prior artcircular tracks and brushes.

The present invention thus provides a simple, elegant and compactassembly for providing a tractable cable. Furthermore, as the connectionbetween the cable 4 and FCB strip 20 is fixed, good sound quality can beobtained.

The FCB strip may comprise polyamide, or any other suitable material,such as polyimide, polyester or any other well-known FCB material, andmay comprise a polyamide substrate, copper conductive elements, and aninsulative overlay.

The cable 4 is preferably of a flat configuration, and may compriseplastic insulated copper multichord cable.

The connection between the cable 4 and strip 20 may comprise a solderconnection, or electrical tracks and/or plated through-holes mounted onthe reel 8, and/or connectors, e.g. subminiature connectors, or the likeon the FCB and cable ends which connect to one another and/or withconnectors on the reel 8.

FIGS. 5–7 show a FCB element 18 at various stages of manufacture.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, the FCB element 18 may be cut from a flatsheet of FCB material that will have been previously laid with suitableelectrical tracks to define the tracks of the coiled strip 20 that areto connect with the cable wires, and to define mounting points 26 forthe socket 6, microswitch 15 and other componentry 16. Cutting may be bye.g. laser or water jet cutting, routing, die cutting, stamping ormachining or any other suitable method.

The spiral strip 20 is initially flat and in the same plane as the landportion 17. It is connected to the land portion 17 by a narrow neckportion 27, and spirals around the land portion 17. This arrangementprovides a very efficient and material saving method of producing theFCB element 20.

In one method of construction, once the FCB element 18 has been cut fromthe sheet of FCB material, the element 18 is bent at the neck 27, andthe spiral strip 20 is then fed into the take-up reel 8, which is thenrotated about the FCB land portion 17 until all of the FCB strip 20 ishoused within the reel 8 in a coiled manner. The termination to thecable 4 is then made, e.g. through a solder connection, and the clampingelement 23 is inserted into place.

The FCB element 18 takes the form shown in FIG. 6 with the central axisof the coiled strip 20 perpendicular to the land portion 17.

Alternatively, the strip 20 may be coiled prior to insertion of the FCBelement 18 into the reel.

The strip 20 may be coiled by hand or machine, and the neck 27 may bebent by hand or machine.

The socket 6, microswitch 15 and other componentry 16 are connected tothe FCB element at the mounting points 26 to provide the resulting FCBelement 18 as shown in FIG. 7. They may be provided as a loaded subassyprior to assembly of the element 18 into the cable assembly. The FCB maybe received from a FCB manufacturer in the loaded state, so thatassembly may then comprise the bending of the neck 27 and insertion ofthe strip 20 into the reel 8.

A typical use of the resulting assembly 1 is shown in FIG. 8, in whichthe assembly 1 is mounted to the rear of a mobile telephone 28.

A fixed length cable or rigid connector element (not shown) can connectthe socket 6 of the assembly to an end connector or the like of themobile telephone 28, in a similar manner to the connection of knownhands-free headsets and the like. The earphone 5 can then be used asdesired, the cable 4 being retracted into the assembly 1 when not inuse.

The assembly 1 may be physically connected to the telephone 28 in anysuitable manner, e.g. by integrated dips, screws, Velcro™ fasteners,adhesive, tape, guides, slides, stitched cover, moulded cover, elastomermoulded cover and/or by any other suitable means.

It is to be understood that various alterations, additions and/ormodifications may be made to the parts previously described withoutdeparting from the ambit of the present invention.

For example, the assembly 1 need not be limited to use with mobiletelephones, and could be used in a wide variety of different situations.

It could be used generally with various sound systems, such as toconnect a stereo with extensible speakers, and could especially be usedin the field of personal sound systems, such as personal CD players, MP3players, minidiscs, tape recorders, radios, dictaphones, or the like.

It could also be used with laptop computers, personal digital assistants(PDAs), games consoles and the like.

Also, the assembly 1 need not be limited to use with an earpiece 5, andthis could be replaced with any suitable element or device that is toextend from a base unit or other structure. It could for examplecomprise a pair of earphones, a microphone, or a headset comprisingearphones and a microphone. It could also have no relation to soundreproduction, and could provide a retractable cable for e.g. a PCconnection, a game controller, e.g. a paddle or joystick, and/or a powerconnection.

The cable 4 need not be flat and could comprise any suitable wiringarrangement.

The coiled strip 20 need not be a FCB strip, and could take any form ofconnection that may be coiled. It could also provide the spring bias tothe reel 18.

Instead of being a separate unit, the retractable assembly could be anintegral part of a device, e.g. integrally provided within the mobiletelephone 28, e.g. at the time of manufacture of the telephone.

Further, the earpiece, microphone or other component to be extendedcould be mounted on or at the assembly, and the tree end of the cablecould have an electrical connection which e.g. provides the socket 6features or could comprise a jack plug or any other desired connection.

The cable 4 may have no end component at all, e.g. If the cable itselfwere to be used as an antenna.

As an alternative to a spring-biased reel, the assembly could include amechanism for manually winding the reel.

In further embodiments, the reel may be motorised and/or may beautomatically activated. It may thus be turned by a motor, e.g. anelectric motor. In one embodiment the motor may be activated by a userpressing a retraction switch of the assembly or associated device.Alternatively or also, the motor could be voice activated, e.g. using amicrophone in the assembly itself, or using a microphone of anassociated device, e.g. mobile phone or the like. For example, where theassembly is mounted on or built within a mobile telephone, a voicecommand into the microphone of the mobile phone may be used to activatea motor to retract the cable. Further, a signal indicating any suitableassociated device action or status may be used to activate the cableretraction, such an action could be e.g. the powering down of thedevice, or the switching to a stand-by mode or to a mode in which thecable is not required. It could also include the switching of a switchof the device, including e.g. the clicking of a retract icon on thescreen of a computing device where the invention is used with acomputing device or the pressing of a mobile phone dial button, e.g.after ending a phone call.

1. A retractable cable assembly, in which a cable is connected toassociated circuitry through a flexible circuit board element thatcomprises a base portion on which the circuitry is mounted and anelongate coiled strip that connects with the cable, the base portionbeing substantially wider than the coiled strip, said base portion andsaid strip being formed from a single substrate on which are providedelectrical tracks for connecting the circuitry with the cable.
 2. Acable management assembly including a flexible circuit board elementthat connects an extendible cable with associated electroniccomponentry, wherein said flexible circuit board element includes a baseportion on which said electronic componentry is mounted, and an elongatecoiled strip with which said extendible cable connects, the base portionbeing substantially wider than the coiled strip, said base portion andsaid coiled strip being integrally formed from a single substrate onwhich is provided a plurality of conductive tracks for connecting saidelectronic componentry with said cable.
 3. A cable management assemblyincluding a retractable cable mounted on a take-up reel, and a coiledflexible circuit board element mounted within the take-up reel andelectrically connected to the retractable cable so as to allow the cableto connect with associated electronic circuitry whilst alsoaccommodating movement of the reel end of the cable when the cable isretracted or extended, said coiled flexible circuit board elementincluding a coiled strip portion and a flat base portion formedintegrally therewith from a single substrate, the base portion beingsubstantially wider than the coiled strip, said associated electroniccircuitry being provided on said base portion, and said base portionextending transversely to an axis of rotation of said take-up reel andsaid coiled strip portion.
 4. A cable management assembly including aretractable cable and a unitary flexible circuit board element, theflexible circuit board element having a coiled portion formed of anelongate strip, and a land portion, with the coiled portion coilingabout an axis inclined to the plane of the land portion, the landportion being substantially wider than a width of the elongate strip,the coiled portion and the land portion having one or more electricaltracks extending across the land portion and the coiled portion, and theland portion having one or more electronic components thereon, the cableconnecting with the tracks of the coiled portion.
 5. A cable managementsystem, comprising: a retractable cable including one or more wirestherein; a take-up reel lying in a plane and having an axis of rotationperpendicular thereto, the cable being wound around the reel; and aflexible circuit board element comprising a base portion and elongatecoiled strip formed from a single substrate, said base portion beingsubstantially wider than said elongate coiled strip wherein saidelongate coiled strip is mounted within said reel and has one or moreconductive tracks provided thereon that connect with said one or morewires of said retractable cable, and said base portion extends in theplane of the reel outwardly past the periphery of the reel to form asurface for mounting componentry, and wherein a microswitch is mountedon said surface adjacent said cable to determine whether said cable isin retracted or extended condition.
 6. A method of making a retractablecable assembly, the assembly including a flexible circuit board elementfor connecting a cable to associated circuitry, the flexible circuitboard element having a base portion and an integral elongate strip formin a coil, the base portion being substantially wider than a width ofthe elongate strip wherein the method includes the step of forming saidbase portion and the coil portion from a single substrate, connectingsaid associated circuitry to said base portion, and connecting saidelongate coil to said cable.
 7. The method of claim 6, including thestep of cutting said base portion and said spiral coil portion from aflat substrate on which are laid electrical tracks, the coil portionbeing formed as a spiral strip about the base portion and connectingthereto via a neck portion, and including the steps of bending the neckportion out of the plane of the base portion, and winding the spiralstrip into a coil about an axis defined by the bent neck portion.
 8. Aretractable cable assembly for connection with an electronic device, theassembly including: a retractable cable including one or more wirestherein; a take-up reel having an axis of rotation, the cable beingwound about said reel; and a flexible circuit board element, theflexible circuit board element comprising a base portion and an elongatecoiled strip formed from a single flexible circuit board substrate, thebase portion being substantially wider than the coiled strip; whereinsaid base portion has electrical circuitry mounted thereon, includingconnection circuitry for connecting with the electronic device, saidelongate coiled strip has electrical connection tracks provided thereon,said tracks at a first end connecting with said circuitry on said baseportion and at a second end connecting with one or more of said wires ofsaid retractable cable, and said coiled strip is housed within saidreel, with said base portion extending transversely to said axis ofrotation of said reel.
 9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the flexiblecircuit board element has a flexible substrate, conductive elementsthereon, and an insulative cover layer.
 10. The assembly of claim 8,wherein the flexible substrate is made from one or more of polyamide,polymide and polyester.
 11. The assembly of claim 8, wherein theflexible circuit board element is single-sided, double-sided ormultilayered.
 12. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the cable is of aflat configuration.
 13. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the flexiblecircuit board element is wound in an opposite direction to the windingof the cable.
 14. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the take-up reelincludes connection elements for connecting wires from the cable withtracks of the flexible circuit board element.
 15. The assembly of claim8, wherein the retractable cable is anchored towards its reel end. 16.The assembly of claim 8, wherein the retractable cable is clamped to thereel.
 17. The assembly of claim 15, wherein anchoring occurs at aconnection between the cable and flexible circuit board element.
 18. Theassembly of claim 8, wherein the reel is spring-biased to retract thecable.
 19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the assembly includes acoiled spring to provide the spring-bias.
 20. The assembly of claim 8,including a latch mechanism to prevent retraction of the cable until thelatch mechanism is released.
 21. The assembly of claim 8, including asensor for indicating that the cable is extended and/or retracted. 22.The assembly of claim 8, wherein the assembly is adapted to be integralwith said device.
 23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the flexiblecircuit board element is adapted to provide a connection between thecable and input and/or output circuitry of the device.
 24. The assemblyof claim 8, wherein the assembly is configured as a stand-alone unit.25. The assembly of claim 24, wherein the flexible circuit board elementprovides a connection between the cable and connection componentry forconnecting the cable to an input and/or output connection of anotherdevice.
 26. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the assembly includes atransducer component at the free end of the retractable cable.
 27. Anassembly according to claim 8, wherein a free end of the cable includesthereon one or more of an earphone, an microphone, a headset, aloudspeaker, and/or a games controller.
 28. The assembly of claim 8,wherein the assembly includes a connection element at the free end ofthe retractable cable.
 29. The assembly of claim 8, including two ormore retractable cables.
 30. A device including a retractable cableassembly according to claim
 8. 31. The device of claim 30, wherein thedevice comprises one of a mobile phone, a portable computing device, ora personal sound device.
 32. A personal electronic device including anassembly in accordance with claim
 8. 33. The retractable cable assemblyof claim 8, wherein a microswitch is mounted on said base portion fordetecting retraction of said cable.